From Collins Agyekum-Gyasi, Kumasi
A KUMASI Circuit Court (Ministries), has sentenced 33 cargo truck drivers to various fines ranging between GH¢200 and GH¢900 for overloading their trucks above the approved tonnage.
They have all pleaded guilty to the charges of overloading.They will serve prison sentences ranging from between six to 12 months with hard labour in default, depending on the excess weight being carried by each of the trucks.
The court ordered that the excess load be shed-off before the trucks are handed back to them. Items found on the vehicles included mining chemicals, assorted soft drinks, tubers of yam, bags of maize and iron rods.
A police prosecutor told the court, presided over by Mr Justice Eric Baah that the accused persons were arrested at the Akom Axel Weight bridge on the Offinso road between July 1 and July 3.
According to the prosecutor, loading above the stipulated weight of 10 tons the middle axel (hippo) weight is contrary to Regulation 46 (1) of the Legislative Instrument (LI) 953/74 and section 101 of Act 683/04. However, some vehicles carried excess of between one-and-half to two tons above and over the official weight thereby destroying the roads.
The worse offender was Baba Diara, a Malian driver of a DAF truck with registration number, B-3422-N3. At the weight bridge, it was discovered that his vehicle was excessively overloaded with extra 11.8 tons and consequently fined GH¢900
Diara’s truck was loaded with passengers and goods and was travelling from Kumasi to Wa in the Upper Western Region when it was intercepted at the weight bridge on the Offinso road.
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